Spring-cap for coupling-lifter holes.



R- E- L. JANNBY.

SPRING GAP FOR GOUPLING LIPTER HOLES. APPLICATION IILBD 00T.27,1911.

1,085,262, Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

@Mgg Z l UNTTED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

ROBERT E. L. JANNEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, LSSIGNOR TOlAMERICAN STEEL FOUNDRIES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF y.NEIN JERSEY.

SPRING-CAP FOR COUPLING-LIFTER HOLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 27 1914.

Application led October 27, 1911. Serial No. 657,180.

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. L. J ANNEY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Caps for Coupler-Lifter Holes of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to car couplers and has particular reference to a novel cap for use in stopping or plugging a top lifter hole.

Many of the couplers as at present constructed, provide for either top or bottom operation, that is, such couplers have a lock so arranged that it may be operated by a pull from its top or a push from the bottom. Many times in the application of couplers for repairs as well as for new equipment, it is found impossible to apply the coupler with bottom or side operating rods, in which case the top lifter must be used, and, in other cases it is inconvenient to use the top lifter and the side or bottom lifter must be used. However, on such couplers, when the bottom lift is used, the top lifter hole will remain open and will quickly accumulate quantities of cinders, dirt, snow and ice, which will tend to render the coupler inoperative. I have therefore devised a spring cap for use in such contingencies, this cap being of exceedingly simple construction and arranged so that it may be forced into the hole and securely retained therein until it is desired to remove the same.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a coupler having my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlargement of the top wall of the coupler, the section being on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and, 3 is a bottom plan of my improved cap.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that the` coupler in the present instance includes a shank 10, head -11, guard arm 12, and knuckle 13. Within the head is the usual recess in which is mounted the knuckle-locking means, not specifically shown. In order to provide for the bottom operation of the lock, I mount an operating-rod 14, pivoted to the coupler* head and suitably connect-ed to the locklitting parts, said rod extending to the side of the car. In case such operating means 1s used, the top lock hole 15 is closed by my novel spring cap, which cap is formed with an imperforate curved top wall 16, having a downwardly and inwardly extended flange 17 a bead 18, being formed on the lower edge of the flange. It will be seen that by this construction I provide a groove corresponding substantially to the section of metal surrounding the opening 15. In order to enable the insertion of the spring cap. I provide a plurality of cuts or slits 19 in the flange 17, these cuts extending to a point close to the upper wall 16. By constructing the cap of spring material it may be forced into the circular opening 15, the separated portions of the flange 17 bending inward to permit such insertion. When inserted the bead 18 will seat around the lower edge of the opening and prevent the removal of the cap except by force.

It is obvious that certain modifications may be made in the herein described structure, all without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A car coupler having a top vwall provided with an opening, in combination with a closure for said opening, said closure consisting in a disk of metal having a depending resilient flange` portions of said fiange sisting in a disk of metal having a dependpanded by the resiliency of the met-a1 as the illllg slttedhlange provided with abead near bead passes through said opening.

t` e edge t ereof the span of sai ande at .v the bead being greater than the dametzr of ROBERT E" L' JANNE said opening, whereby said flange may be Witnesses:

contracted radially to permit the entrance E. WALrEBs, of said bead into said opening, and ex- A. TBEVOR JONES. 

